Page 58 of Ms Perfectly Fine
He knew it couldn’t be good for her to sleep in the tub with her back, but as her tearful eyes settled on his, he decided not to force her. Instead, he knelt by her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as a single tear slid down her cheek.
“I couldn’t hear her. I was pinned, and I couldn’t get to her. They found her first. I remember every detail. The smell of the burning wood, the heat. I tried to call her, but I couldn’t breathe.” Autumn’s eyes closed, and he knew she was lost in a memory. Her breathing steadied as she relaxed into the porcelain tub.
“Don’t drown yourself in the memories. You can’t get stuck in the past,” Elijah said softly, though his chest felt tight.
“Being in the sea made me feel better, so I thought I would take a bath.” She leaned towards the tap, but he gently took her hand in his, preventing her from turning it on.
“I don’t think wine and water is a good combination,” he said, reaching for her drink. Autumn watched him remove a second, half-empty bottle from the bath.
“I didn’t take you for a wine drinker,” she joked, making no move to stop him.
“I’m not,” he said, placing it on the tiles.
Autumn rested her head in her hands, and her hair covered her face. “I finished one bottle, and it just didn’t hit the spot. Then I remembered I had another. It was a gift from my last performance. I hate wine. I’m going to have the worst hangover ever.” She chuckled. Elijah gently tried to help her out of the bath, but gave up when she slapped him away. “But I’m alive, so I suppose I have the luxury of suffering.” Autumn hugged her knees tighter as the sobs came hard and fast.
Elijah stood over her, unsure of how to help her. He couldn’t leave her like this. He scratched the back of his head, unsure of how she would welcome his presence, but as her sobs wracked her body, the urge to comfort her took priority. He climbed into the tub behind her—it was barely large enough to hold both of them—and stretched out his legs on either side of her body.
“I’m here, I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head.
Her sobs began to ease, and she snuggled into his chest. “I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.” Her words were merely a whisper.
His heart clenched. He desperately wanted to say the right thing to ease her sorrow, but sometimes all you could do was be there. “Just sleep. Everything will be fine tomorrow,” he whispered back, feeling her breathing even out. “You’re safe with me.”
When she fell asleep, he considered carrying her back to her bed, but with Brinkley sleeping in the doorway, he was afraid to wake the dog in case she woke Autumn. Glancing at the towel on the hook beside the bath, he tried to reach for it, but Autumn placed a hand over his heart and gripped his shirt. Elijah cursed himself for thinking how good it felt to feel her pressed against him. Seeing her so vulnerable made him want to protect her from anything and anyone who’d caused her so much hurt.If only she could trust me this much when she was sober and awake…
When she settled, he carefully freed the fluffy towel from the hook. The strain caused him to groan, but in her drunken slumber, the sound did nothing to wake Autumn. Elijah let out a deep breath once his neck was supported and settled in for the night. Finding a semi-comfortable position, he brushed his fingers over her hair, comforting her. As he was listening to her soft breathing, sleep took him.
Chapter Twenty-One
Autumn
AUTUMN WOKE COCOONED in a warmth she wanted to lose herself in. She struggled to open an eye and she was greeted by a sharp pain running through her temples as the skylight tormented her with the morning sun. She tried to sit up, pressing her hand against what she thought was her mattress only to find herself lying against Elijah, who was still asleep, a pink fluffy towel tucked between his head and the porcelain bathtub. Gently, Autumn eased off him before she peered over the edge to notice the empty bottle of wine.
That explains the pounding headache.She sighed.Please tell me nothing happened between us!Her hands drifted over her wrap dress, and she realised everything was in its place.Thank God. I don’t want our first time together to be a consequence of one too many bottles of wine.
His long legs dwarfed hers. All she wanted was to snuggle back into his chest and go back to sleep. Just his body against hers made her feel more than any kiss she’d ever had.
Cradling her aching head, she let out a low groan, wondering how much nonsense she’d said last night. She eased her legs slowly away from his, careful not to disturb him. Though he was sleeping peacefully, his position looked incredibly uncomfortable.I can’t believe he stayed with me. I should let him sleep a bit longer…
She tried to remove herself from the tub and gasped when an arm hooked her waist, pulling her flush against him.
“It’s rude to watch someone sleep.” Elijah’s voice was husky from the long night.
She pushed against his hold, and he grimaced. “I preferred it when you were unconscious,” Autumn said, struggling out of their entangled limbs to stand up. The head rush nearly caused her to fall over.
“I’m surprised you can stand at all after last night,” he said lazily as he stretched his arms above his head.
“Why did you sleep here?”
“You were crying.”
There was no pity in his voice, which she appreciated, but the way he looked at her made her feel so seen that it unnerved her.
“Sorry you had to witness that. Wine…tends to make me sad.” She tried to step out of the bath. “At least I didn’t ask you to get in.”
He smirked. “Are you sure?” he asked, pulling himself out of the tub with a loud grunt.
She wanted the ground to swallow her whole.Did I ask him to get in? I don’t think I did. Oh God, please tell me I didn’t beg him to stay.
